At Pullambadi, farmers’ resolve to protest for livelihood, win over police objection

According to the office-bearers, the federation of farmers’ associations applied for permission from the police to conduct the hunger strike on Monday by March 25 itself. They chose the spot near Kamarajar statue in Pullambadi. Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam office-bearers Chandrasekaran and Sahadevan got the permission. Meanwhile, on Sunday, after the farmers had made all the arrangements at the protest venue near Kamarajar statue, the police objected to it and asked them to change the protest venue to a place near Anna statue. They cited traffic congestion as the reason. 

However, the farmers held firm on their decision to protest at the original venue. On Monday, as scheduled, the delta farmers started converging at the place. Around 6 am, police once again met the organisers and asked them to shift the protest out of the spot. The farmers refused to relent and continued their hunger strike from the same venue. 

PR Pandian, co-ordinator of Federation of All Farmers’ Associations, charged that the state and Centre has been planning to suppress the farmers’ protests. “With an aim to scuttle the hunger strike, police have prevented the farmers of several villages from reaching the protest venue here. But we will continue the fight for our livelihood,” he said. 

A heavy police presence was seen all around the protest venue at Pullambadi. DSP Natarajan was there to oversee the deployment. However, after sometime, the police retreated from the spot and the farmers peacefully concluded the protest in the evening. 

Puliyur A Nagarajan, TMC Farmers Wing president, R Raja Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam state president, P Viswanathan, Tank and River Ayacutdars Welfare Association state president, and others were present.